Sergei Lavrov was speaking to journalists after talks in Moscow with his Vietnamese counterpart, Pham Gia Khiem. "Special attention was paid to the preparation of a visit to Russia by the Vietnamese president at the end of October," he said.
Lavrov said he and Khiem agreed to strengthen bilateral military and technical cooperation.
"Our partnership with Vietnam is of a strategic nature and has very good prospects, as well as traditions of friendship and mutual assistance going back many years, including in the hardest years for Vietnam, when the Vietnamese people fought for national independence," Lavrov said.
"We remember this; our Vietnamese friends also remember it. Standing against a firm foundation, we will deepen our partnership across the board," he said.
Pham Gia Khiem arrived in Russia on Saturday for a four-day official visit.
Trade between Russia and Vietnam in the first seven months of the year exceeded $1 billion, and may reach a record $1.6 billion by the end of 2008.
